"We always like our chances any time we have Tyler Radcliffe (3-1) on the mound like we will (today)," Wilson coach Andy Hall said. "We know we'd have a tough second-round match, but we have to get through the first one before we even think about El Toro, and then just focus on playing our best baseball."

Moore League champion Lakewood (22-8) will host the winner of today's wild-card game between El Modena and Simi Valley on Thursday.

Javier Alvarez (9-3) will get the ball for a Lancers team on an 11-game win streak, and Lakewood coach Spud O'Neil said they're trying to secure Blair Field for a Thursday night game at 6:30 and that he'll find out today if that's possible. If not, Lakewood will host the wild-card winner at 3:15 on Thursday.

"We're playing our best baseball heading into the playoffs as any team we've had in a long time," O'Neil said of his Moore League champs. "I definitely expect the league to have a much better showing, because the pitching is a little bit better and the hitting is as well."

Poly (20-11) will ride the left arm of Stanford-bound Chris Castellanos (6-3) when the Jackrabbits travel to El Dorado (18-9) as the league's No. 2 seed looks to finally get past that first-round barrier.

"Chris has only had two bad outings in four years, so we feel confident whenever he's on the mound," Poly coach Toby Hess said. "El Dorado is an outstanding team. I predict Julian Griego will have a big game offensively."

"We're very thankful we put ourselves into a position to miss the wild-card round, and it's fortunate that we have a familiar opponent," Millikan coach Scott Glasser said. "We are going into the playoffs confident."

Division 2

The Suburban League has two wild-card games today when Bellflower (14-9) visits Irvine (12-14) and Norwalk (12-11) is at Kennedy (14-13).

Co-league champion La Mirada (19-10-1) will host the Damien (16-10)-Pacifica Oxnard (12-11) winner on Friday, and Mayfair (20-8), the three-time league champion, will travel to San Clemente (22-9) in what has become its annual brutal first-round assignment.

Division 3

The San Gabriel Valley League will also see two of its four entrants compete in wildcard contests today when Downey (14-13) goes to Rialto (17-9) and Warren (19-8) hosts Cathedral City (13-15).

SGVL champion Gahr (20-5) will get the Beverly Hills-Highland winner on Thursday as the Gladiators are tied with Lakewood with an area-best 11-game win streak heading into the playoffs.

"We're very excited with the depth of our pitching staff with Andrew Encinas and Greg Humbert, but also with the guys backing them up,"

Gahr coach Gerardo Perez said. "We have everything in place to make a deep run, and it's just up to the guys to play the way they're capable and their chance to show with their play how hard we've worked to get back to this moment."

Paramount (18-9) and ace Ulices Moreno will host Westminster (16-10) with the hopes of making a run.